Following the death of Brundidge Council Member Arthur Lee Griffin on October 1, the Brundidge City Council must fill the vacancy in the city’s District 2.

According to information from Linda Faust, Brundidge administrative assistant, vacancies in the office of council member could be filled by the council at the next regular meeting of any subsequent meeting of the council. The person so elected will hold the office for the unexpired term.

Faust said when a council must first declare the council seat vacant. The declaration is nothing more than an acknowledgement that the seat is vacant. No formal declaration is required.

The council may declare the seat vacant at any regular or special meeting. At the next regular meeting held after the meeting at which the vacancy is declared, the council may vote to fill the vacancy.

According to the information released, the position should be filled as soon as possible to prevent the crippling effect of not having a quorum to do business. The council may not avoid its responsibility for electing a person to fill such a vacancy by calling a special election.

A majority vote of the present council is required to fill a vacancy on the council. In the event a vacancy in the office of council member is not filled within 60 days after it occurs, each existing council member, including the mayor, may submit a name to the governor for appointment. If the governor fails to make an appointment from any of the submitted names within 90 days after the vacancy occurs, the judge of probate shall call a special election to fill the vacancy. If the council does not fill the vacancy within 60 days after it occurs, the council, by default, loses its right to, thereafter, fill the vacancy.